This invention relates to a method and an apparatus for placing fiber bales, such as cotton fiber bales, chemical fiber bales or the like in readiness for being worked on by a fiber tuft removing machine (bale opener). The bales are moved to a bale transporting apparatus such as a conveyor belt and are assembled thereon to form a standby bale series. The bales of the standby bale series are moved into a position which is in the operating range of a fiber bale opener and where the bales form an operational bale series.
In a known method as disclosed, for example, in German Offenlegungsschrift (non-examined published application) 37 30 487, the bale series situated in the operating range of the bale opener is supported on a first conveyor belt and the standby bale series is supported on an immediately adjoining second conveyor belt. At the inlet end of the second conveyor belt there is provided a transversely oriented conveyor belt on which new bales are supplied continuously to the standby bale series on the second conveyor belt. Such a procedure permits a continuous fiber tuft removing operation by the bale opener because as the bale opener operates, new fiber bales take the place of the entirely consumed (opened) fiber bales. The fiber bales are supplied to the transverse conveyor belt on a roller track.
The above-outlined process has the disadvantage that continuously new (fresh) fiber bales have to be placed onto the second conveyor belt to replenish the standby bale series: such a procedure is operationally complex. The supply of fiber bales must not be interrupted otherwise a discontinuity (gap) will appear between the standby bale series and the fiber bales complementing the standby bale series. It is a further disadvantage of the above-outlined conventional method that the sequencing and thus the mixing of the fiber bales of desired origin in the standby series are, because of the continuous resupply, also time-dependent. Such time dependency renders the process altogether rigid and necessarily predetermined. Further, the continuous complementation requires a continuous visual monitoring of the assembly of the standby bale series to make possible a timely detection and correction of operational disturbances.